Underground dwelling

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a dwelling formed by one or more preferably concrete three-dimensional modules ( 1  and  1 ′) which are provided with complementary coupling means ( 7  and  7 ′) so that the modules can be positioned side by side and/or on top of one another in order to form a dwelling with several rooms or even several dwellings. The invention includes an access ( 2 ) to the interior, windows ( 9 ) and ports for pipes ( 3 ) for chimneys ( 4 ), vents and lighting outlets ( 5 ). The constituent modules ( 1  and  1 ′) of the dwelling(s) are installed in a trench or cave formed in suitable terrain ( 6 ) and, except for the access wall containing the door ( 8 ) and/or the windows ( 9 ), are covered completely with natural soil corresponding to the terrain ( 6 ) excavated in order to install the modules ( 1  and  1 ′) and the dwelling(s).

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to an underground dwelling that has been specially conceived to have the characteristics of a natural cave, but having the advantage of being of a modular nature and therefore being susceptible to industrialization, something that had not been possible up to now.

The object of the invention is to provide the market and the public in general with the possibility of acquiring an underground dwelling that is assembled modularly or prefabricated and that is mostly covered by the earth of the site where it has been installed, as if it was a natural cave.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Artificial caves, such as the one described in the Spanish Utility Model N^(o) 248,970, based on a metal framework or an otherwise rigid framework having the appropriate shape, on which it is applied a layer of the material obtained by mixing a fibrous material (paper, cloth, fabric, asbestos or wild cotton) with a setting or thermosetting product (glue, plaster, gypsum, mud, thermosetting plastic) and obtaining with this mix a hollow body, irregularly shaped, open at the frontal part and having excrescences and recesses that simulate the appearance of rock, and even the appearance of stalactites and stalagmites, all of it configuring a body that simulates an artificial cave.

Said type of cave, although designed to be materialized in several shapes has mostly an ornamental function, and has never been intended or designed to be used as a dwelling.

However, there are natural caves that have been inhabited as dwellings, although they are very limited in many functional aspects, since they have been made by simply excavating the terrain and are therefore not susceptible to the process of industrialization.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The underground dwelling object of the invention can be considered as a cave dwelling, but obtained by assembling three dimensional modules that may be part or the whole of the dwelling, endowing it with its eminently industrializable nature.

In this sense, a terrain having certain degree of elevation is excavated creating a cavity or hollow, and on this cavity the three dimensional module, preferably cast in concrete, is placed. Said module having, at least, an opening that will serve as access to the inside, and this prefabricated module may also have openings for windows and holes as chimney flues, air vents, light wells, etc., all of it assuming the module will constitute in itself the entire dwelling, since the dwelling can be configured by several joined or assembled modules that will be preferably configured by complementary tongue and groove elements built in the design of the attachable walls, since the modules can be assembled laterally to each other, or even stacked on top of each other to form a two rooms dwelling, or also configure a set of different dwellings by placing and coupling the necessary modules once the terrain has been excavated.

In all cases, one or more modules will be fitted with the aforementioned openings to serve as chimneys, vents, etc., and will be also fitted with the appropriate access opening that can also serve as means of communication between the several modules when a dwelling has two or more modules.

The module or modules of the dwelling or dwellings will be covered, except for the wall that has the access and windows openings, by a thick layer of earth, which favors thermal conditions both in summer and winter.

It is apparent that the modules may be formed by conveniently matching panels to form the walls and the ceiling.

It is also apparent that with the solution thus described, underground dwellings type caves may be obtained by industrialization processes, since they are made of prefabricated models that are placed in a cave or excavated hollow in a terrain having the appropriate orography to allow the module or modules to be covered with the layer of natural earth fill obtained as a by product of the excavation process.

Although the modules may be preferably made out of concrete, any other appropriate material is not ruled out, such as sandwich type panels made of insulating and even fireproof materials, polyurethane, etc.

The frontal or facade panel of the dwelling, regardless if said dwelling one or several modules, may be taller than the remaining panels, said bigger frontal height acting as a barrier for possible land sliding events and preventing that the earth load fall on said facade or anterior part of the dwelling.

Also the dwelling may incorporate a couple of apses on the sides that are part of the dwelling unit and act as enlargement of the main space, and also contributing to lend a larger plane to the whole to decrease the effects that erosion may have on the unit.

It has also been incorporated into the plan that the side panels may be joined by groove and tongue panels, by welding, by fitting between the edges of the panels to be thus joined, by anchoring one panel on the other, etc., with or without complementary elements used to secure the anchoring such as screws, bolts, rivets and similar elements, while to secure the panels used for the overhead closure tongue and groove plates having known anchoring means such as those described immediately above, screws, bolts, rivets, etc., are used.

Affixing the module or modules to the terrain may be done by solid concrete piers or footing elements conveniently deployed on the terrain, which upper sides will be fitted with metal plates to which other complementary metal plates will be welded facing the lower plates so the lower side of the panel or panels that constitute the base of the module or modules will be facing said complementary metal plates.

Finally, the joints formed by the joined panels will be complemented with a putty fill or with another product or material that prevents the passage of particles, insects, humidity, etc., that is, a fill material that provides insulation and water-tightness to the indoor space formed by the joined modules.

The underground dwelling object of the invention constitutes what can be considered as a cave dwelling, inside which several different uses and applications can be considered, using multiple materials, sizes and appearances, with the door, windows and other appropriate necessary accessory elements that are needed and that can be manufactured without limitation to the extent of their surface area, can be produced in several heights with the structure plans adapting it to each dwelling.

The underground dwelling that constitutes a sort of cave dwelling offers also high quality characteristics, it is environmentally sound and of craftsmanship quality, is produced at a low cost and is extremely simple.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description provided in this section, and to better aid in the understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings have been attached to this descriptive report. The figures in the drawings depict the innovations and advantages of the underground dwelling object of the invention.

FIG. 1. Shows a section view of a module set in a cavity excavated in the terrain, showing on one of the walls or panels the access opening to the dwelling that will configure said module as well as a vertical upper conduit that may correspond to a chimney flue, a vent, etc.

FIG. 2. Shows a schematic plan view of an example of modularity involving several modules collaterally joined together to form a dwelling or several rooms or spaces, and even several dwellings that attached together.

FIG. 3. Shows a frontal perspective view of an example depicting several dwellings formed by different modules assembled on the excavated site.

FIG. 4. Shows a frontal perspective view of another example of an underground dwelling done according to the stated object of the invention, where it can be observed how the facade panels are taller than the remaining panels used to assemble the different rear modules of the dwelling or dwellings in question.

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8. Show the corresponding details of other means of collaterally affixing the panels of the modules corresponding to the underground dwelling or dwellings.

FIG. 9. Shows a detail of a possible manner to assemble the ceiling panels

FIG. 10. Shows a detail of a preferred manner of affixing the bottom or base panel or panels to the terrain.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures described above, and referring specifically to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a three dimensional module 1 can be observed, preferably cast in concrete, that can constitute a dwelling in itself, said module includes an access opening 2 leading inside the module and therefore inside the dwelling, as well as one or more holes placed in the upper regions superiorly to said opening to function as vertical ducts 3 that may be used as chimneys 4, vents with natural light inlets 5, etc., in such a manner that module 1 is implanted in an excavated site dug to that effect on terrain 6 having one or several walls or lateral sides with complementary coupling elements 7 and 7′ that are correspondingly male and female to couple adjacent modules, coupling that may be tongue and groove by virtue of this male-female configuration of said coupling means 7 and 7′.

The dwelling obtained based on the three dimensional module 1 may have several rooms or spaces, that are formed by collaterally joining several modules 1 or even assembling them vertically, that is, at different heights. FIG. 2 shows such an example of modular assembly formed, specifically by four similar modules 1 arranged in an arc or arranged in a segmented line pattern by intersecting triangular modules 1′ to form said broken or arched configuration, forming what can be considered as a several rooms dwelling, or several attached dwellings collaterally joined together through the complementary coupling means 7-7′ fitted to the side walls of said spaces, that is, the side walls of modules 1 and 1′.

As it is apparent, modules 1 and if appropriate modules 1′, will be prefabricated modules, preferably made of concrete, although other appropriate materials are not ruled out, that configure an underground dwelling type cave since the module or modules are covered with the natural earth fill resulting from the excavation of the terrain 6 required to open the space to install the underground dwelling type cave.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective of the setting of several modules 1 located in an excavated hollow or hollows on terrain 6, according to special configurations of said modules 1. One of the modules in the figure shows an access door 8 that will be installed in the corresponding opening 2 of module 1, and having also windows 9 planned in the design of the corresponding prefabricated module 1, this FIG. 3 also showing chimneys 4 corresponding to ducts 3 shown in FIG. 1 and vents or light wells 5 established in said ducts 3, all of it designed and sited in such a manner that when the modules are attached together, as shown in FIG. 2, or even in FIG. 3, if it is a single dwelling, they will be closed or will only be fitted with opening 2 to hang the corresponding access door 8, while if the modules are intended to configure one or several spaces of the same dwelling, these modules will have openings to communicate said spaces of the same dwelling.

FIG. 4 shows an underground dwelling obtained according to the information described above, including a facade 10, an overhead enclosure 11 and a coating 12 that maybe the earth fill resulting from the excavation of site 6 shown in FIG. 3, and the facade 10 having the appropriate opening 13 to fit the main access door to the inside of the dwelling, as well as openings 9′ to fit the windows.

Also in FIG. 4, the panels configuring facade 10 are taller than the remaining panels, that is, they stick out above the overhead enclosure 11 to form a barrier preventing potential landslides or earth movements from accessing the facade or the anterior part of the dwelling.

Laterally, it presents one apse 14 that besides providing the general aspect of the dwelling with a flatter dimension, it provides an enlargement and protection against erosion.

The joining of the different lateral panels referenced in FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 with numbers 15 and 15′ may be done in many different ways. For example, FIG. 5 shows how panels 15 and 15′ include a double zig-zag shaped staggered edge 16 that determines a means of coupling or joining together said panels.

On the other hand, FIG. 6 shows how said panels 15 and 15′ are joined by housing the upper edge of panel 15 in a groove 17 established in panel 15′, said joint or coupling being made secure by anchoring elements 18 such as screws, bolts or similar.

FIG. 7 shows how panels 15 and 15′ are secured by welding 19, while in FIG. 8 said joining is shown to be done by anchoring elements 20 that are through elements, for instance going through panel 15′ and being affixed to panel 15 or vice versa.

The joining means of ceiling panels 21 and 21′, as shown in FIG. 9, can be done by tongue and groove elements 22 complemented by anchoring elements 23 similar to anchoring elements 10 mentioned above, and provided at the joining plane of side panels shown in FIG. 6.

Finally, the joining means of the base or floor panel 24 to the terrain 25 is done by metal plates 26 fitted to the upper surface of a pier 27 placed to that effect on terrain 25, while the lower side of the base or floor panel 24 of the module is fitted with other metal parts 26′ complementary to parts 26 and placed so they faced each other so they can be welded together to achieve the joint, and in this manner the module is perfectly secured by its base to the piers 27 placed on the terrain 25. 

1. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, for being set in an excavated site of an appropriate terrain, consisting of one or more three dimensional modules (1 and 1′), preferably made from concrete and equipped with, at least, one access opening (2-13) that either leads inside an indoor space or it communicates with other adjacent modules, as well as holes and/or ducts (3) that function as chimneys (4), air vents or natural light inlets (5); wherein each module (1 and 1′) has in one or more of its walls, complementary coupling means (7, 7′) to join them to other adjacent module or modules to configure a dwelling with more than one room or spaces, or several attached dwellings, the entire module or modules (1 and 1′), except for the access opening (2, 13), and if applicable windows (9), being completely covered by a layer of earth fill resulting from the prior excavation of the site thus made ready to place the invention in it.
 2. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 1 wherein the between modules (1 and 1′) coupling means (7, 7′) comprises complementary male-female protrusions and recesses.
 3. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 1 wherein the module or modules (1 and 1′) are prefabricated elements.
 4. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 1 wherein the module or modules (1 and 1′) are susceptible to be joined together collaterally or vertically overlapped or stacked to configure a several room dwelling in the same story or forming different levels, or to configure several collaterally or overlappingly attached dwellings having different structures.
 5. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 1 wherein the panels that configure the facade (10) are taller than the remaining panels, in order to form a contention barrier against possible landslides, and fitted with joining means to attach to lateral panels (15 and 15′), as well as coupling means for panels (21 and 21′) belonging to the upper closure or ceiling element, and joining means to attach to the base panel or panels (24) over the floor (25).
 6. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein there are corresponding apses (14) that are integral part of the dwelling that contribute to lend the whole a flatter appearance.
 7. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are constituted by complementary staggered formations (16) designed in the edges of the panels (15 and 15′).
 8. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are groove shaped as (17) worked into the panel to serve as anchoring means to fit in the corresponding matching panel.
 9. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are constituted by anchoring means such as screws, bolts, rivets and similar elements (20).
 10. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are constituted by welding (19) over metal plates fitted at the matching facing edges of said panels (15 and 15′).
 11. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 7, wherein the joining means are susceptible to be complementary to the anchoring elements (18) that strengthen the joint or affixing means between panels (15 and 15′).
 12. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein the joining means between the upper enclosure or ceiling panels (21 and 21′) are constituted by matching tongue and groove configurations (22) fitted at the facing or joinable edges of panels (21 and 21′), these being susceptible to be complemented by anchoring means (5) to enhance the affixing means.
 13. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein the joining means of the base panel or panels (24) to the terrain (25) are constituted by welding between metal plates (26 and 26′), placed facing each other on the upper surface of a pier (27) set on the terrain (25) and in the internal face of the base panel or panels (24).
 14. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 5, wherein it includes sealing means for the in-between panel joints (15-15′, 21-21′ and 24-27) to provide insulation means between the inside and the outside of the dwelling.
 15. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 14, wherein the joint sealing means are achieved with putty, silicon, foam or similar material.
 16. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 6, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are constituted by complementary staggered formations (16) designed in the edges of the panels (15 and 15′).
 17. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 6, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are groove shaped as (17) worked into the panel to serve as anchoring means to fit in the corresponding matching panel.
 18. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 6, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are constituted by anchoring means such as screws, bolts, rivets and similar elements (20).
 19. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 6, wherein the joining means between panels (15 and 15′) are constituted by welding (19) over metal plates fitted at the matching facing edges of said panels (15 and 15′).
 20. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 6, wherein the joining means between the upper enclosure or ceiling panels (21 and 21′) are constituted by matching tongue and groove configurations (22) fitted at the facing or joinable edges of panels (21 and 21′), these being susceptible to be complemented by anchoring means (5) to enhance the affixing means.
 21. UNDERGROUND DWELLING, according to claim 6, wherein the joining means of the base panel or panels (24) to the terrain (25) are constituted by welding between metal plates (26 and 26′), placed facing each other on the upper surface of a pier (27) set on the terrain (25) and in the internal face of the base panel or panels (24). 